'Pak politicians with fake degree liable to 80 lashes under Islamic law for lying'

Islamabad, July 1(ANI): Former Pakistan Law Minister Sher Afgan Niazi has said that a member of parliament holding a fake degree not only faces disqualification, but is also liable to be awarded 80 lashes under the Islamic law for lying.

Niazi said that under the Hadood laws, the offenders are liable to be punished under Qadaf Had because of their being non-truthful or being liars.

The former minister added that the latest Supreme Court judgment on the issue of fake degrees, that provides for punishment for three years, was the least and the most lenient view of the apex court.

Referring to the MPs' oath taking ceremony, where they commit that they would perform their functions faithfully in accordance with the Constitution, Niazi said: "The fake degree holders have also broken the oath of the Constitution as given in its Third Schedule,"

"Getting into parliament on the basis of a fake degree is a clear violation of the constitutional oath which amounts to a criminal offence and can be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution," The News quoted Niazi, as saying.

He further said that a parliamentarian with a fake degree also proves that he is neither sagacious and righteous nor honest, and fails to fill the requirement of Article 62(f) of the Constitution dealing with the qualifications of the members of parliament. (ANI)